Mud saver or box



Filed July 8, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l rl'11111111111111111111",lffyg'il a c a a l q Q 0 c w ffdZa ATTORNEY March 3, 1936. C, WELCH 2,032,642

MUD SAVER OR BOX Filed July 8', 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 O 33 374 1 NV, l 4' a INVENTOR 37 B* @n 35 ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 3, 1936 UNITED` l STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

The invention relates to a mud box and more especially to a mud saver for use in oil drilling rigs.

'I'he primary object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character, wherein the same is supported by a derrick which is mounted for adjustment in a novel manner so that the mud box can be brought into position about a drilling stem of a well drilling rig of the rotary type used for drilling oil wells and in this position the mud on the separation of the drilling stem as collected from the well will be spilled in the mud box for ow therefrom to a mud pit, thereby eliminating a large quantity of the mud being lost and spilled upon the oor at the ground level with respect to said well.

Another object of the invention is the provision oi a device of this character, wherein the same is mounted in such a manner on the drilling rig floor that it may be brought into luse at any time as may be required and when not ln use may be lifted from its operating position and set aside out of the way, it functioning as a mud saver when disconnecting a drill stem while removing or pulling the same out oi a well or a hole as ordinarily a large quantity of mud is lost and spilled over the floor.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character, which is comparatively simple in construction, readily and easily handled, thoroughly reliable and eiiieient in its operation', assuring the saving of drilling mud, strong, durable, readily and easily set in operative position and removed at will and inexpensive to` manufacture and install.

With these and otherobjects in View, the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of partaas wiil be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose the preferred embodiment of the invention and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary elevation of a drilling f stem of an oil drilling rig of the rotary type showing the device constructed in accordance with the invention applied thereto and the same being partly in elevation and partly in section.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view through the drilling stem showing the device in top plan as applied thereto.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of Figure 1 showing by full lines the operative position of the box and by dotted lines a partially opened position thereof.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevation in detail of the latch adjuncts.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A designates generally a portion of a drilling stem of an oil drilling rig of the rotary standard type and includes a separable joint coupling B about which is adapted to be placed the mud box constituting the present invention and hereinafter fully described.

The mud box or saver comprises a cylindrical body formed with half cylindrical sections I0 and II, respectively, and this body has the top and bottom closed ends I2 excepting for a center opening I3 providing a space for the drilling stem A when the sections I 0 and II are brought together and encircle the said stem. These ends I2 are similar to each other and carry suitable packing rings I4 to eiect a fluid tight joint when the box is encircling the stem as is shown in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings. The packing rings I 4 are set into the ends I2 and extend into the openings I3 therein to make contact with the stem A entirely about the same. The ends I2, which are in half sectors, are made fast to the sections I0 and II by fasteners I5 and these sectors meet each other on the closing of the sections Ill and II about the stem A for the fitting of the box thereto to enclose the joint B so that on separation of the stem it can trap the mud as pulled from the well or hole drilled by the drilling rig and spill into the box to be caught thereby.

The box including the sections Ill and II is carried by a derrick which is formed with a tubular upright or post I6 having a right angular upper brace arm Il, it being joined with the section I0 near the upper end thereof and this arm is of hollow formation communicative with the post or upright I6 while opening into the box through the section I0 and joined therewith near its lower end is an inclined drain Conduit or pipe I8, the same being extended from the post or upright I6 andopens into the same so that mud spilled within the post will be drained therefrom through the conduit or pipe I8 into the post or upright i6 whence it can be delivered into a mud pit closed at its upper end by a ooring I9 upon which is arranged the mount hereinafter described for the derrick.

The mount comprises a bed plate 20 having an elliptical shaped opening 2l centrally therein and this opening is common to an opening 22 matchlng therewith in the ilooring I 9. Rising from the plate at opposite sides of the opening 2I are spaced pairs of bearings 23 having rotatably f1tted therein horizontally arranged adjusting screws 24 carrying shiftable trunnlon bearings 25 for trunnions 26 extending from diametrically opposite sides of a tubular hub 21 fitted with antifriction bearings 28 encircling the upright or post I6 which is rotatably supported within said hub21. The hubbythetrunnions26canbeswung while the bearings 25 for the trunnions can be shifted to transfer the upright or post I6 longitudinally with the extent of the opening 2I in the plate 20. In this manner the derrick will properly locate or position the box with relation to the it align therewith and properly embrace the same when tted thereto.

The hub 21 has at diametrically opposite points ears 29, these carrying set screws 30 which regulate the tilt of the said hub and hold the same in the adjusted tilted position desired. These set screws 30 act against the plate 20 on adjustment thereof.

The meeting edg s of the sections II) and II carry suitable packings 3I and 32, respectively, to effect a fluid tight joint at these meeting edges when the sections IIJ and II have been closed about the drilling stem A.

Exteriorly of and carried by the sections I0 and II are hand grips 33 for the manual opening and closing of the sections I0 and I I and the handling of the mud box.

Upon the section I0 are keepers 34 for engagement with cam operated releasable latches 35, these being fixed to a turning arbor or axle 36 common to both the said latches and having fltting with the eccentrics 31, journaled in bearings 38 on and projecting from the section II. The axle or arbor 36 has mounted thereon coiled tensioning springs 39 which operate to urge the latches into latching engagement with the keepers 34, the arbor or axle 36 being fitted with a hand loop 40 for manual turning thereof so that the latches 35 can be disengaged from the keepers 34 when it is required to release the box from the drilling stem A and in this releasing the section II, which is swung upon a pivot hinge 4I joining it with the section I0, moves outwardly away from the said section I and thus by the turning of the derrick the box can be moved to inactive position or out of the way with relation to the 4drilling stem A. This derrick enables the convenient placing of the mud box in working relation to the stem A without excessive labor on the part of a user of the box and also by adjustment of such derrick the box can be properly aligned with the stem. As has been stated, on 'separation of the stem at the joint B the mud spilled therefrom will be trapped in the box and such mud drained through the conduit or pipe I8 into the mud pit beneath the flooring I9 covering the same.

The packing 32 when the sections I0 and I I are latched closed with relation to each other will yafford a seal at the latching side of these sections I0 and II when brought together at the meeting edges thereof. The trap of the mud as raised by the stem A from the well or hole within the box will prevent the spilling of the mud upon the flooring at the ground line with respect to the upper open end of the well or hole.

A mud saver constructed in accordance with the invention saves approximately ninety per cent (90%) of the drilling mud that is pulled out of the hole in the drill stem and wasted on the floor and on the ground whilemaking trips.

If artificial mud, such as Baroid, Aquaiell, or any kind of artificial mud is being used, and all that is being used can be kept within the hole and slush pits, it means less mud will have to be bought and mixed. The saving of this mud means saving dollars for the buying of the mud, and also means saving dollars for the mixing of this mud, which in any way saves time and labor.

If a company uses a mud saver, it speeds the worker to a great extent, as there is no mud spilt over or on the derrick floor. That means the worker will have dry tools to work with and a dry floor to work on; it also means he can pick up the tools with dry gloves and in lots of cases will keep junk out of the hole by this method.

It is a well-known fact and the nature of each and every man to dislike a mud bath and by using a mud saver there will be no mud baths, which many times cause serious accidents. Each and every man will run out of the reach of flying mud, sometimes running into his fellow workman, sometimes into some machinery that is being used, or maybe he will slip and fall, breaking a limb, which causes a loss time accident, lots of suffering to him, and maybe costs his life. By using this mud saver, most of these hazards will be overcome. It is estimated that a mud saver will pay for itself on one well.

The mud saver is not only adaptable for use in the drilling of oil wells but also in water wells or the like. The true purpose is to save drilling fluid, such as drilling mud, wateror any kind of drilling fluid used in drilling water or oil wells. 'I'he mud saver is to be used on a rotary drilling rig and is usable when pulling the drilling stem or pipe out of the hole or well.

It should be apparent from Figure 1 of the drawings that the device is adapted to be attached to or for placing around a drill pipe at the connection or joint to catch the drilling iluid in the drill pipe when the joint is disconnected or unscrewed and such device having a drain allows the drilling fluid to be conducted to a predetermined place or location.

What is claimed is:

1. In a mud box a two-part hinged cylindrical body for embracing a drilling stern, a derrick carrying said body and having a drain leading therefrom, a mount for the derrick to permit shifting of the same and tilting thereof for correct alignment of the body with the drilling stem and a hub in said mount and rotatably supporting the derrick.

2. In a mud box a two-part hinged'cylindrical body for embracing a drilling stern, a derrick carrying said body and having a drain leading therefrom, a mount for the derrick to permit shifting of the same and tilting thereof for correct alignment of the body with the drilling stem, a hub in said mount and rotatably supporting the derrick and means for latching the two parts of the said body in embracing relation to the drilling stem.

3. In a mud box a two-part hinged cylindrical body for embracing a drilling stem, a derrick carrying said body and having a drain leading therefrom, a mount for the derrick to permit shifting of the same and tilting thereof for correct alignment of the body with the drilling stem, a hub in said mount and rotatably supporting the derrick, means for latching the two parts of the said body in embracing relation to the means for sealing the two parts of said body together and about the drilling stem to render said body fluid tight.

drilling stem and 4. In a mud box a two-part hinged cylindrical body for embracing a drilling stem, a derrick carrying said body and having a drain leading therefrom, a mount for the derrick to permit shifting of the same and tilting thereof for correct alignment of the body with the drilling stem, a hub in said mount and rotatably supporting the derrick, means for latching the two parts of the said body in embracing relation to the drilling stem,A means for sealing the two parts of said body together and about the drilling stem to render said body uid tight and means included in the mount to sustain the tilt of the derrick and the adjusted position of shift thereof.

5. In a mud box, a two part hinged cylindrical body for embracing a drill stem, tubular arms secured to and opening to the interior of said body adjacent the upper and lower ends thereof respectively, a support for said body comprising a tubular upright mounted for revolution on its axis, said arms secured to and opening to the interior of said upright, whereby material may drain through said lower arm to said upright, said upright having an opening in communication with a storage receptacle, and means to adjust said upright to bring its axis into parallelism with a drill stem.

w11" C. WELCH. 

